Prayer Ministry Strategies for Associations and Churches

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I. Guiding Associations and Churches in Prayer

• Specific, biblical prayer makes a dynamic
  difference in the lives of the families and
  churches who make up associations.
• Associations across North America have a unique
  opportunity.
• Associations can guide churches to listen to the
  Spirit for a powerful and comprehensive prayer
  ministry.
• Prayer needs to be the foundation of everything
  in the life and ministry of every believer.

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• A. The Resource Kit
• Overhead cell masters, CD ROM, Guide
• B. Purpose of this Guide
• This guide prayerfully seeks
• To identify ways to hear and respond to the call
  of God to pray.
• To encourage believers to seek the Holy Spirit
  for a prayer ministry strategy in an association
  or church that can be customized to their
  specific needs.

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The resulting strategy provides a specific
process to challenge believers to reclaim the
church as a house of prayer with a passion for
lost people.

• The strategy helps associations and churches
  create a prayer ministry that is foundational to
  everything done in and through their ministries.
• Each section in this guide is in response to many
  requests for help from those who hear the call to
  pray.
• The response includes transforming lifeless
  rituals of prayer and witness into dynamic
  relationships with God and humankind.

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C. More Than a Strategy or a Ministry

• Prayer is broader than a strategy and is not a
  human made activity for the church.
• Prayer is also broader than a typical prayer
  ministry.
• God is calling His people to prayer and revival
  as He has done before each spiritual awakening.
• We need to be talking to God about men and women
  as much as we talk to men and women about God.

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D. An Associational Luncheon

• Revival is needed when believers treat holy
  things with mundane attitudes.
• At the typical pastors luncheon, the
  conversation centers around three groups of
  people
• Sorry state of the churches group.
• Its not about God, but about me group.
• Sports and current events group.
• Thankfully, this scenario is changing in many
  associations as they attempt to renew a personal
  passion to pray unceasingly.

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II. Hearing the Call of God to Pray

• Hearing from God requires prayer and Bible study.
• A. Called to the Priority of Prayer
• Imagine the consequences of every church and
  every person receiving specific, biblical prayer
  and witness.
• Prayer has to remain a priority or it
  immediately moves to the sidelines.

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• 1. Prayer was a priority to Jesus (see Matt.
  1427 646 Luke 612)
• 2. Prayer was a priority to the early church(see
  Acts 114 61-4)
• 3. Prayer was a priority to Paul(see Rom. 1212
  1 Cor. 75 Phil. 14)
• 4. A priority is seen by use of money, time, and
  talents.
• B. Called to the Difference in Ritual Prayer and
• Relational Prayer.
• Jesus focused attention on ritual prayer in
  Matthew 65 2314 and Luke 189-14.
• Jewish disciples of Jesus knew a lot about prayer.

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• Lifeless ritual prayer was not fulfilling.
• When they watched Jesus pray in Luke 111, they
  said, Lord, teach us to pray, . . (so we can
  pray like You pray).
• Jesus causes people to examine their external
  rituals and replace these with a spiritual
  relationship.
• If believers are not careful, we will develop,
  create, or build a human-led prayer plan that
  is not from God.
• If it is not from God, it will not be blessed by
  God.
• Personal devotional time is essential for
  pastors.
• State prayer leaders have discovered that
  baptismless churches are led by men who allowed
  their personal walk with Christ to stagnate.

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C. Called to Biblical Prayer

• Satan hates biblical, specific prayer.
• He has created a lot of counterfeit prayer
  movements to confuse believers.
• It is important that biblical prayer be taught.
• The Holy Spirit always points people to Jesus
  (see 1 Tim. 25).
• Angels are not to be worshiped or addressed in
  prayer (see Rev. 229).
• Pastors and other spiritual leaders should not
  assume authority that belongs to God, His Son, or
  the Holy Spirit.
• First Peter 51-9 is a biblical definition of the
  pastor as a shepherd.
• Shepherds lead, cowboys drive.

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D. Called within Two Types of Churches

• In the first three chapters of Revelation, the
  churches are described as in need of revival.
• The first type relies on the worlds way to draw
  a crowd by means of human leadership.
• My Way Community Church represents this type
  of congregation.
• The second type of congregation tries to rely on
  Gods plan and the Spirits leading.
• Gods Way Community Church represents this type
  of congregation.
• Fleshly success will not last (see 1 Cor.
  311-15).
• Associational leadership need to encourage the
  Gods Way congregations and encourage change in
  the My Way congregations.

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• E. Called to a Corporate Culture of Godliness
  and Righteousness.
• It is alarming the kind of language and jokes
  that are told among believers and professional
  ministers.
• In Luke 645, Jesus said, A good man out of the
  good treasure of his heart brings forth good . .
  . For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth
  speaks (NKJV).
• Ministers must set the standard for godliness and
  righteousness. Believers should resemble Christ.
• God calls believers to encourage a corporate
  culture of godliness and righteousness.
• In 1 Timothy 611, the apostle Paul lists several
  spiritual characteristics of walking with Christ.
• Believers should be different through Christ that
  it would be obvious to unbelievers.

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Think about the advantages of encouraging an
environment where believers are encouraged
and expected to be different.

• The term corporate culture describes the
  accepted attitudes and behavior in a business
  setting.
• Encouraging a corporate culture of godliness and
  righteousness is important to effective prayer
  and spiritual growth.
• Prayer is one of the casualties of secular
  assimilation.
• Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,
  that if we ask anything according to His will, He
  hears us
• (1 John 514, NKJV).

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Godliness

• Refers to the transformed nature that only comes
  through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
• Other extremes are those who teach we are god or
  negate or ridicule those who are trying to live
  consistent, biblically-based lives.
• Godliness became defined by individuals instead
  of by God.
• Biblical godliness is a prayer concern of Paul.
  In 1 Timothy 21-2, Paul encourages Timothy to
  lead a tranquil and quiet life in all
  godliness and dignity (NASB).
• Having a form of godliness but denying its
  power (2 Tim. 35, NKJV).

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Righteousness The effective prayer of a
righteous man can accomplish much (Jas. 516,
NASB).

• Righteousness is right behavior that flows out of
  the godliness that comes from accepting Jesus.
• Righteousness comes from holiness, which only
  comes from the Holy Spirit, changing will and
  behavior.
• The Holy Spirit only comes through accepting
  Jesus Christ as Lord.
• Righteousness is essential to effective prayer.
• Godliness and righteousness are difficult to
  attain and maintain.
• Focus of the Christian life is to resemble
  Christ.
• Evangelical believers must not adopt the
  prevailing cultural attitude.

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III. Responding to the Call to Pray with a Prayer
Ministry Strategy

• What do you want to see happen through prayer in
• the association, state, or province?
• A. Prayer Strategy
• A prayer strategy seeks to discover the Holy
  Spirits plan of action.
• A prayer event is helpful, but is much more
  effective in the context of a comprehensive
  prayer ministry strategy.
• B. Prayer Ministry
• A prayer ministry helps to saturate everything
  done in and through the association and church
  with prayer.

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• Every church and association needs to respond to
  Gods call for people to pray.
• Strategy ensures that prayer is a foundational
  and functional priority.
• C. Intentional Prayer
• Reclaim the church as a house of prayer with a
  passion for lost people.
• A strategy is needed to saturate everything with
  Spirit- led prayer.
• Pride, self-esteem, and self praise effectively
  shut the door to prayer.

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IV. Steps to Great Commission Praying

• There is a coordinated attempt to present
  biblical principles for Spirit-led prayer and
  awakening while not creating a program.
• A. What is Great Commission Praying
• Prayer is foundational to following Christs
  commission in Matthew 2818-20.
• B. Seek the Spirits plan for a Customized
  Prayer Ministry
• This is an intentional Spirit-led prayer ministry
  that considers the individual needs and
  abilities of each church and association.

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C. Six Common Characteristics of a Great
Commission Prayer Ministry

• 1. Enlist through Prayer the State and
  Provincial Prayer Coordinators.
• A list is in Appendix A and online at
  www.namb.net/prayer other resources
  www.imb.org/pray
• 2. Enlist through Prayer Associational and
  Church Prayer Coordinators.
• Work with church coordinators to help each
  church discover a Spirit-led strategy.
• A job description is in Appendix B.
• Help prioritize a Spirit-led prayer ministry.
• Identifying through prayer the lay prayer
  practitioners and prayer coordinators in each
  church.

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a. Church Prayer Coordinator

• Church prayer coordinator job description in
  Appendix C.
• The church prayer coordinator has a very
  difficult job.
• Satan is constantly working to undermine
  biblical, fervent, and specific, Spirit-led
  prayer.

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b. How to identify and enlist associational and
church prayer coordinators.

• Begins with prayer.
• Prayer practitioner.
• Biblical priority of prayer.
• Listen for Gods call to pray.
• Publicize the need.
• Elect the prayer coordinator and place them in a
  position of influence.
• Look to a church prayer coordinator to serve as
  the associational prayer coordinator.
• Encourage each prayer practitioner to disciple
  another person in biblical, specific, Spirit-led
  prayer.

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3. Enlist through Prayer the Associational and
Church Prayer Councils.

• The prayer council (team or committee) serves to
  keep Spirit-led prayer before the congregation.
• The prayer council should not be seen as the ones
  who pray like the choir is seen as the ones who
  sing.
• Help believers turn to prayer as the first choice
  instead of the last resort.

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4. Provide Accessible Training for Associational
and Church Prayer Coordinators.

• a. Begin with reminding people about the
  importance of prayer.
• Focus on prayer in the Sunday School and Bible
  study hour.
• Satan encourages anything that delays or
  diminishes prayer and relevant Bible study.
• Encourage each person to pray their requests so
  all of the prayer time is spent in prayer.

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• b. Banish zipper prayers.
• Banish the ritual prayers that often open and
  close a meeting.
• c. Teach people to take prayer
• to the streets in order to cover
• the community with prayer.
• d. Encourage an ongoing school of prayer.
• Set a goal to train 75 percent of the entire
  membership in prayer.

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• e. From John 17, Teach people how to pray for
  believers, for unbelievers, and for personal
  spiritual needs.
• 1) Praying for believers
• In John 179, Jesus prayed, My followers belong
  to you, and I am praying for them Missionaries
  and evangelism leaders around the globe testify
  to the effectiveness of praying for believers
  involved in evangelism and missions.
• Acts 131-3 church commissioning Paul and Silas
  to evangelistic mission work.

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• 2) Praying for unbelievers
• Pray for receptive and repentant hearts (see
  Luke 85-12).
• Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be
  opened to the truth of Christ (see 2 Cor. 43-4
  Matt. 1315).
• Pray for them to have Gods attitude toward sin
  (see John 168).
• Pray for the person to be released to believe
  (see 2 Cor. 103-4 2 Tim. 225-26).
• Pray for a transforming life (see Rom. 121-2).
• Pray for God to send them into His harvest field
  (see Matt. 935-38).

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• 3) Praying for personal spiritual needs
• In Luke 113-4, Jesus instructs believers to pray
  for our daily bread, pray that we can forgive
  everyone, and that we will not be led into
  temptation.
• Personal praying acknowledges that God is the
  source to meet all of our physical and spiritual
  needs.
• This is very difficult in a culture that so
  easily confuses needs with wants.

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f. Work with the evangelism committee to train
the church in personal evangelism.

• Too many believers have been intimidated by the
  culture to remain silent about their faith in
  Christ.
• Lead the church in evangelism training if there
  is not an evangelism committee.
• Use several approaches to help the different
  personality types in the church.
• Four good approaches
• People Sharing Jesus, FAITH , The Net from NAMB,
  Becoming a Contagious Christian

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5. Seek the Spirit for a Customized Great
Commission Prayer Ministry.

• An effective prayer ministry needs to consider
  the individual strengths and weaknesses of each
  congregation.
• a. Vision statement.
• A Great Commission Prayer Ministry begins with a
  prayer saturated vision statement.
• Proverbs 2918, Where there is no vision, the
  people are unrestrained (NASB).
• Unrestrained people have no focus on priorities.
• A popular vision statement is, To pray for and
  share Jesus with every person in the community of
  the church.

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b. Purpose statements.

• What can be done in your association to help
  churches pray for and share Jesus with everyone
  in that association?
• Discover these purpose statements through prayer
  and Bible study.
• Humans need to follow Gods plan instead of
  trying to impose our plans on God.
• 1) Renew a personal passion to pray unceasingly
  (see 1 Thess. 517).
• Importance of a personal prayer life.
• Not vain repetition (see Matt. 65-7)

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• 2) Reclaim the church as a house of prayer with a
  passion for lost people (see Matt. 2113 Luke
  1910).
• Importance of a corporate dimension to prayer.
• 3) Link believers in focused prayer for
  evangelization and awakening (see Matt.
  2818-20 2 Chron. 714).
• Importance of a kingdom perspective to
• prayer.

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c. Prayer Events.

• The next step is to seek the Lord for prayer
  events to help complete the purpose statements.
• Reflect the needs and ethnicity of each church
  and community.
• No single approach works in every situation.
• Use whatever approach fits in your cultural or
  geographic area.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication.
. . for all the saints (Eph. 618, NKJV).
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1) Prayer Triplets

• 2) Concerts of Prayer
• 3) Prayer Revivals/Retreats
• 4) Solemn Assemblies
• 5) Pastor/Staff Prayer Networks
• 6) Lighthouses of Prayer
• 7) Outreach Prayer Surveys
• 8) Prayer Journeys
• 9) Prayer Groups

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d. Fifteen prayer-saturated steps for churches.

• 1) Select a prayer coordinator for the church
• 2) Select a prayer council
• 3) Ask the pastor to take the lead by preparing a
  sermon series on prayer

• 4) Encourage individual prayer through any of the
  resources available
• 5) Launch new prayer groups
• 6) Provide a prayer room
• 7) Refocus the Wednesday night prayer meeting
  into a time of prayer

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12) Create Lighthouses of Prayer 13) Include
Prayer Journeys 14) Plan a mission trip that
includes prayer 15) Work with the
associational prayer coordinator

• 8) Create praying affinity groups
• 9) Develop prayer lists
• 10) Participate in North
• American and International annual weeks
  of prayer for missions
• 11) Schedule a prayer time during worship services

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• 6. Involve Ethnic Congregations in the
  Association.
• Many associations may need to enlist an
  additional prayer coordinator for each ethnic
  group.
• Many ethnic congregations are models of prayer.
• Effective prayer replaces our agenda with Gods
  agenda, our will with Gods will.

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• V. Organizational Options for Prayer
  Coordinators
• A. The Most Effective Prayer Coordinators have
  the Complete Support of the DOM, Pastor, and
  Staff.
• 1. The prayer leader needs to have an influential
  position that has access to the decision making
  and budgeting process.
• 2. The prayer ministry needs to have a priority
  budget.
• 3. It will usually require someone to devote
  primary leadership to creating and expanding a
  prayer ministry.
• 4. Strive to keep prayer a priority for
  everything done in and through the association
  and congregation.
• 5. Prayer ministry form descriptions in Appendix
  E.

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• B. Involve and Inform as Many People as
  Possible.
• 1. Use and develop every possible communication
  network.
• 2. Discover and report on whats happening in
  prayer.
• When we agree with God, we always get a yes
  answer.
• Encourage believers to share examples of when it
  was good that God answered their prayer no or
  wait.
• 3. Discover and report different prayer
  strategies.

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C. Be Careful Not to Make Prayer a Program.

• D. Reject Trick or Treat Prayer.
• A pastor shared, I discovered that prayer to me
  had become a habit of running to the door of
  heaven asking for a treat.
• Satan enjoys keeping prayer as obscure as
  possible.
• If Satan cannot persuade us to fail in the flesh,
  he will convince us to succeed in the flesh.

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VI. Conclusion and Commitment

• Hearing and responding to Gods call to prayer is
  an important process in every association and
  congregation.
• A comprehensive prayer ministry will only occur
  with intentional planning and application.
• Pause for a time of prayer to determine how you
  will respond to this information. Have you been
  challenged to renew a personal passion to pray
  unceasingly?
• Will you serve to reclaim the convention,
  association, or church to be a house of prayer
  with a passion for lost people?
• The spiritual condition of a church can be
  determined by its prayer meetings.

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VII. Four Examples of Associational Prayer
Strategies

• Many associations have found satisfaction in
  training and encouraging their churches in
  prayer.

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A. Phoenix, Arizona

• 1. Encourage every church to have a praying and
  prayed- for pastor.
• 2. Encourage every church to be a house of
  prayer.
• 3. Encourage praying churches to pray together.
• 4. Create a Prayer Coordinator Network.
• 5. Cover the area with various media and
  promotions.

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B. Chicagoland, Chicago, Illinois

• Our Mission
• To serve the church in the work of the Great
  Commission.
• Our Vision
• To serve every Chicagoland pastor.
• Our Action Plans
• Gathering
• Equipping
• Resourcing
• Communicating

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C. Capilano Association, British Columbia, Canada

• Evangelism
• Church Planting
• Grow and Develop
• Missions
• Leadership

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D. Cane Creek Stoddard Baptist Association,
Poplar Bluff, Missouri

• The strategy develops opportunities to cover
  neighborhoods, businesses, law enforcement and
  protection personnel, city and county government
  officials, school students and faculty, pastors,
  churches, and ministries with prayer.

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Appendix BAssociational Prayer Coordinator Job
Description

• Function
• To raise awareness of the need for a
  comprehensive Great Commission Prayer Ministry in
  the association and churches.
• To help individuals renew a personal passion to
  pray unceasingly (see 1 Thess. 517).
• To help reclaim the congregation as a house of
  prayer with a passion for lost people (see Matt.
  2113 Luke 1910).
• To facilitate training opportunities to help the
  congregation accomplish these three goals.

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• Qualifications
• Be identified as called of God to the ministry of
  prayer.
• Understand biblical prayer and be able to
  communicate it.
• Recognize that God makes a difference through
  prayer in lives, situations, and nations.
• Be able to work cooperatively with associational
  and church leadership.
• Be committed to the total associational program.
• Have skills in planning, organizing, and
  delegating with a servant leadership style.
• Be willing to attend an associational prayer
  coordinators training conference.

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• Accountability
• First, to God.
• Then, the pastor.
• Then, the church, especially the prayer
  coordinators in each class, program, and ministry
  area.
• Responsibilities
• Pray and lead others to pray.
• Work closely with the pastor and other church
  leadership to develop a Great Commission Prayer
  Ministry.
• Set up and manage prayer activities, events,
  small prayer groups, and a prayer room.

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• Build a prayer team ministry with NAMB, WMU, IMB,
  and LifeWay.
• Create and maintain a relationship with the
  associational prayer coordinator and church
  prayer coordinators in other churches.
• Enlist and train prayer coordinators in every
  class, program, and ministry.
• Participate in the church newsletter to share
  prayer requests and answers to prayer, promote
  awareness, and communicate kingdom needs.
• Help the librarian to acquire biblical resources
  for church members to use in prayer.
• Facilitate local training conferences for church
  members.

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• Participate in the budget planning process.
• Calendar all prayer events and training during
  the yearly planning process.
• Stay current on state, national, and
  international prayer needs and opportunities
  through NAMB (1 800 554-PRAY),
  www.namb.net/prayer, and IMB (1 800 395-PRAY),
  www.imb.org/pray, prayerlines.

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Appendix ESample Prayer Ministry Forms

• Here are some suggested forms a prayer
  coordinator may create to encourage effective,
  specific prayer. Be careful that paperwork does
  not replace prayer time!
• Information brochure/sheet/card
• Brief overview of the prayer ministry.
• Describe ways for each believer to become
  involved.
• List the purpose statements, yearly prayer
  events, and each prayer and training opportunity.

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• Give directions to the prayer room.
• Explain the watchman network and/or include a
  testimony from a Prayer Journey.
• Include a tear-off commitment card.
• Include these in new member packets or hand
  these out at church meetings.
• Commitment card
• Create a simple card to encourage every believer
  
• to participate in the prayer ministry.
• Prayer request card
• Create a simple card to list prayer requests.
• Include an area Pray For, and include blank
  spaces for
• name, address, phone number, e-mail address,
  date
• requested, dates prayed for, and date
  answered.

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• Provide a lot of space for the prayer request and
  updates.
• Include an area Prayer Requested By.
• Prayer Notes/Prayergram
• Create a post card, note card, or letter system
  to follow-up on prayer requests.